Hello, my name is Martin and I am a budding sports journalist, who goes to university in London. This is a chance for myself to show others - and, hopefully, important media people - what I can do. Some readers and fellow bloggers may find these posts funny, rubbish, brillant or stupid. But whatever the case maybe, remember, the blog is a bit of fun and should not be taken too seriously.
So, with all that being said, let me begin. Football is the main topic of this blog and let me tell you my experience of it. Recently I quit playing sunday league football after a six year spell. It was some journey, I can assure you; fights between teams, team - mates fighting their OWN team - mates and even player's girlfriends fighting other players !! These are some of the things I have witnessed during my sunday league time. People always say "why get up every sunday morning, just to chase a ball about?" Well, the answer is very simple: the love of the game.
Yes, people love the game so much they will get up, hangover or no hangover, just to kick a ball. People love the game so much, they will miss weddings, birthdays and any other family function, just to join in with the lads - whether it be a 10 - 0 victory or a 10- 0 defeat, most men will be there. I once played against a man who played a game before his own wedding !! With sunday league, men get to achieve their dreams. As a player, manager, coach or waterboy the opportunity is there to get to the promised land: which is a cup or a league title.
Winning a cup or a league in sunday football is magnificent. It is a culmination of all that hard work on that faeces filled training pitch; all those runs between cones, laps round the ground and two touch games have paid off to achieve this moment. I, however, never won a title or a cup. My training, or in better words, the club training, was drinking pints. Celebrations was drinking pints. Feeling sorry for yourself after a 6 -0 hammering resulted in, drinking pints. This was why I never won a trophy, but I am not bitter because my aim was to play for a laugh.
After a while the football became less fun with retirements (a.k.a. having kids, house relocation or travelling ) or, in some cases, disappearance. In other words, the player in question would not answer their phone, thus, they are uncontactable. I still play the odd 5 - a - side game but it is not the same as 11 - a - side. So, if any sunday league manager requires a 5ft 7 goalkeeper with the reflexes of a hungover panther - I'm your man !!
****************************************************************************
I am a Tottenham supporter which is quite a rollercoaster ride, as any other Spurs fan will say. My earliest memory of Tottenham was watching Allan Neilsen seal the 1999 Worthington cup (now Carling cup), with a bullet header past Kasey Keller's left hand. The feeling of jubilation that went through my body was amazing. After all the jibes and jokes about Tottenham from my mates, I could now tell them where to stick it, because we had achieved success.
Ok, it did take us 8 years to win something else and several managers in between, to achieve this, but that is not the point. The point is, being a football, or sports fan, is about sticking with your team through thick and thin. And successful moments are even more rewarding and sweeter when you remember the bad times.
Things are looking up for Tottenham: one of England's finest football mangers, Harry Redknapp, is in charge, a new training ground is being built - with plans for the stadium as well - and, most importantly, the football is good. Tottenham used to be a soft touch, and people who said that were right, but not anymore.
With a tough, strong spine of Gomes, Dawson, Huddlestone and Crouch, mixed with the creativity of Modric, Bale and, the recent addition, Van Der Vaart. Tottenham are looking more like the solid, slick passing team of the 60's. Obviously, it would be hard for Tottenham to win the double but they can make an impact, especially in the Champions League. A good draw with Bremen - away - will give 'Arry's army a lot of confidence. Who knows what could happen at the Lane, but what it will be, for Tottenham fans, is one hell of a ride they will not want to get off.
********************************************************************************
My prediction for the Premier League title is Chelsea as no-one can match the power, experience and finishing of Ancelotti's men. And with Rooney having prostitute troubles, again. I can only see the title going back to South West London.
The teams that will make an impact or shock a few teams will be Bolton and Birmingham. Solid, unspectacular and spirited, are some of the characteristics of both sides, and should see these teams progress in the league. Bolton have experienced pros like Davies and Robinson, whilst Birmingham have Bowyer and Ferguson. These players have seen most things in football and nothing will faze them, which should help their respective sides. Also, both teams have pragmatic managers in Coyle, for Bolton, and McLeish, for Birmingham.
My teams for the drop are the three W's: West Ham, Wigan and West Brom. Their defences are also three W's, or as Jonathan Ross would say: wubbish, widiculous and wegrettable.
